


simple beginnings

by shuukei



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-24 07:58:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7500309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shuukei/pseuds/shuukei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yutaka is his first friend. And, for awhile, his only friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	simple beginnings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [commovente](https://archiveofourown.org/users/commovente/gifts).



> a gift for commovente!! i was incredibly happy to see you request datekou gen, so i really hope you enjoy!!

Tarou and Yutaka meet in Kindergarten. 

Yutaka is nice. Tarou’s mom likes him, and Yutaka talks to him even if Tarou is tired almost all the time. He’s patient and he likes food almost as much as Tarou does. 

Yutaka is his first friend. And, for awhile, his only friend.

Tarou isn’t very talkative, but Yutaka doesn’t mind. They play together at the parks, and eventually, in sports.

Yutaka likes volleyball, and he gets Tarou to join him when he applies for a middle school known for their volleyball team. 

There, they meet Takanobu.

He’s not very talkative, but Tarou doesn’t mind. They eat lunch together in class and sometimes Takanobu even lets him have some, and it makes Tarou happy. Yutaka talks enough for both of them, and Takanobu nods along, while Tarou dozes off during the last bit. Takanobu is nice, and Tarou likes him. He’s okay with calling him a friend.

They don’t get very far in any volleyball tournaments, but that’s okay. There’s Oikawa-san and Iwaizumi-san and Ushijima-san and this one brown haired kid … Tarou doesn’t really remember his name, but he thinks Takanobu knows him, since his friend’s face lights up in a way he hasn’t seen ever before.

Takanobu writes that he’s going to Datekougyou because he wants to join their volleyball team. Yutaka tells him that he wants to go to Datekougyou because of their excellence in mechanics and engineering. Tarou, never one to make his own decisions when others could, decides to follow them.

It’s a large school. Not overly wealthy, but decently funded. Their volleyball team is named as the ‘Iron Wall’ and as Tarou looks up at the people surrounding him, he has to agree that it’s pretty accurate. Takanobu grew more - he towers over everyone, and the brown haired kid from last year is here too. Futakuchi. His name is Futakuchi.

Well, Futakuchi is … a little rough, so he gets suspended from becoming a regular in his first year, even if Tarou thinks he’d be good enough to make the team. Takanobu becomes a regular, though, and that makes Yutaka even more determined to make it too. Tarou ends up caught in the mess, and well, he doesn’t really mind. They are his friends, after all.

Sometime in first year, Futakuchi becomes Kenji, and Tarou doesn’t actually argue with this. Despite Kenji’s loudness and sour nature, he can tell from his friend’s interaction with Takanobu that Kenji is softer than he makes himself appear. It’s curious, but Tarou doesn’t argue, because Kenji is a pretty reliable friend and he works really hard.

Kenji lets him borrow his notes, too, when he falls asleep in class. That’s really nice of him.

When Moniwa-san becomes the next captain, Tarou’s pretty happy. Moniwa-san is very reliant and he can be strict, though he’s usually really nice. Moniwa-san lets him doze off sometimes, though Oiwake-kantoku always ends up yelling at him … 

In their second year, Kenji starts begging this girl in their year, with pretty brown hair, to join and be their manager. Tarou thinks she’s in the same class as Kenji and Takanobu, though he’s not too sure. Kenji likes to whine and groan about it in lunch, though, so he learns a lot about her. Her name is Nametsu Mai, and she’s apparently really good at mathematics and such. He thinks Kenji could handle all the math himself, but … he knows that Kenji is too determined on fighting for his spot as a regular.

All four of them make it - and even though Tarou isn’t a starting regular, he doesn’t really mind too much. Tarou likes volleyball, but he knows he’s not as passionate about it as Kenji or Takanobu are. He still likes supporting them though, and he gives pointed thumbs ups when they make nice plays on the court.

Nametsu-chan joins as manager before after the first practice match, and she’s welcomed in with a warm laugh and maybe a few jabs at Kenji’s pride.

Kamasaki-san and Kenji get into fights often, though Takanobu usually breaks them up really quickly. In his own opinion, Tarou thinks it’s really hilarious when Takanobu shoves his hand on Kenji’s face. Yutaka agrees.

They spend a lot of time together, the five second years. Nametsu-chan is fierce, and she doesn’t relent whenever Kenji makes a stupid comment. It makes Takanobu smile, even rarely, and Tarou laughs sleepily.

“I’m telling you, there’s something up with Aoba Johsai,” Kenji huffs, sour over his tray of standard fast food. 

They’re at a burger joint after school, on the day they don’t have practice. It’s become something of a tradition - to spend time together every month so they become better friends. It’s usually only the five second years - though, often enough, Sakunami-kun comes. Today, he decided not to, and Tarou wonders if he’s off trying to help that tall first year that just joined.

“You mean, aside from their national level setter and scary teamwork?” Yutaka snorted, Mai’s giggling in the background.

Kenji sticks out his tongue. “No, something else! They’re all so …  _ ugh _ . I can’t stand them.”

In response, Takanobu makes a face of puzzlement, and his eyes lock with Kenji’s.

Kenji glares, though there’s no fury in his gaze. “Don’t say anything,” he hisses.

Takanobu leans back, and Tarou lets out a snort, while Yutaka laughs. They all know of Kenji’s admiration for Aoba Johsai’s ace, and they do make fun of him often …

Kenji takes a drink of his milkshake with an insulted huff while Mai moves to steal some of his fries. Yutaka works on distracting Kenji as this happens, and Tarou watches Takanobu’s eyes soften around the edges. Tarou lets out a sleepy sigh, and his face softens into a smile. Kenji’s yelp at being jabbed in the side makes him laugh, quietly.

Tarou wouldn’t have anyone else as his best friends. No, he doesn’t think he would last without them amusing him all the time.


End file.
